NZ Compare is proud to announce Contact as a finalist in the Making a Difference Award.
NZ Compare’s Annual Awards celebrates excellence and innovation in New Zealand across a range of telecommunications, utilities and finance industries. Contact Energy, who you now know as Contact, has been selected as a finalist for NZ Compare’s Making a Difference Award. This award acknowledges the pioneers and leaders who are making a positive change in communities and inspiring others to follow their example. It is a tough time for Kiwis. So it is important that we celebrate those who are making steps to help communities and individuals.
Contact is leading the way, through a customer-focused lens, to improve the quality of life at home for New Zealanders.
Who is Contact?
Contact Energy takes a holistic approach to Energy Wellbeing. They strive to understand the pain points of New Zealanders so they can design support to best help them. Contact’s dedicated team, including the incredible customer service team, help customers facing energy challenges.
They also elevate the quality of home life by helping reduce and eliminate stress around energy bills, especially those with newborns.
How are they Making a Difference?
Contact Energy is sworn to improve the quality of homelife for all New Zealanders. They orient their business by listening to customer concerns, reducing financial stress, and keeping homes warm and connected.
Contact Energy has been committed to helping address energy hardship. Their wellbeing team takes a different approach to other traditional collections departments, by providing early intervention and support, partnering with practical agencies to guide customers in managing bills and maintaining sustainable budgeting practices.
One initiative that Contact Energy has embarked on is the Fourth Trimester program. Life with newborns often comes with sleepless nights. This program is designed to ease stress and provide warmth and light by giving away three months of free energy to 1,000 families. Contact Energy has helped 2,000 families so far, after a second year of offering.
Contact Energy also aligned with Women’s Refuge, where they provide free power to all their refugees and safe houses across Aotearoa. They blend this proactive action with participating in fundraising organisations that support crucial services for vulnerable communities.
Contact Energy responds swiftly and with steady empathy in times of crisis – an example of this was in response to Cyclone Gabriel. They offered quick energy credits to those affected customers, meaning they could get back on their feet as fast as possible, with as little hassle as possible in the energy department.
How Can We See Contact’s Positive Change?
By focusing their business on customer compassion and value – rather than profit – they have subsequently focused on the energy wellbeing of communities and households.
They understand that they are making a difference through their influx of wonderful customer conversation, testimonials and feedback. Contact Energy has succeeded in building brand trust and reduced UDL customer complaints to 1% of the market. They have also improved customer loyalty.
The Fourth Trimester program was met with widespread positive feedback, from customers, staff and wider communities. Of those who have used the program, 92% said they were delighted with the offer at the end of their Fourth Trimester period. 97% feel more positive about Contact as a company and 92% see Contact as a company who genuinely cares about their customers rather than profits.
The Positive Change in Our Backyard
Contact Energy sets themselves apart from their fierce competitors by taking a holistic, compassionate approach to energy providing and support. By blending community support with helping guide our customers through financial hardship, they are leading the way in making a true difference in this high cost of living climate.They truly put people first, and ensure they are always ready to respond to both community and individual needs.
NZ Compare is proud to announce Contact Energy as a finalist in the Making a Difference Award. NZ Compare takes pride in making a positive difference in the everyday lives of Kiwis.
If you or someone you know is making a difference, be sure to enter the 2024 Awards.
Contact have been announced as a Making a Difference Award finalist for their 'Growing your Whanau policy' entry. The above is another great entry from Contact, however this entry was not announced a finalist.